Electric switch



July l, 1930- c. D. AlNswoRTH 1,768,535

' v ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Nov. 20, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EIM l /4/ r 5 2y ,zvuen o 2 @244.224 il M Piuma July i, i930 UNITED STATES 1PA'i'liN'r oer-ica CHESTER D. A INIWOITH,

whim '.lO CONDIT Ol WOLLABTOK, `HAB8ACHUBETTB, ABBIGNOB, BY- IESNE ELECTRICAL HANUIACTUBING CORPORATION, Ol' BOS- TON, IABSLCKUBETTB, A CORPORATION OF KBSACHUSETTB ELECTRIC SWITCH vApplication illed November $0, 1983. Serial No, 875.950.

, from such position for inspection or for other pur oses.

The switch is or may be contained in .an

enclosing cel l. The switch also is or may be so arranged that its terminals are caused automatically to be connected electrically with the fixed circuit leads when the switch is in proper position 'and automatically disconnecte from the circuit leads when the switch is ment of the switch into engagin withdrawn from the cell.

It is an object of this invention to provide means to lock the portable switch in a predetermined position against unintentional dislacement; manually-controlled means to reease the lock on the switch, whereby to permit it to be removed 'from such position; means governed bythe closing movement of the switch mechanisms to lock the switchautomatically in Yposition and hold the lock on the switch against manual release while the switch is closed ;-means to prevent the closing of the switch until it has been placedin proper position; and means to prevent moverelation with thefixed circuit leads when t e switch is closed. i

A further-obj ect i-s generally to improve the construction and operation of electric switches.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a switch embodying the invention- A Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation in detail of the switch lock embodying the invention. y

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 2.

As here shown, the electric switch 10 with which the invention is associated ma be mounted upon a platform or truck 11 an said truck may be providedV with wheels 12 upon which the switch is ada ted to roll.

The switch is adapte to be contained removably within an enclosi cell and the wheels 12 thereof are adap to roll upon a track 13, which track is disposed 'on the bottom wall of the cell. Said track 13 may be formed or provided with parallel guide rails 14, one of which is shown in the figures, and said guide rails are adapted to engage the wheels 12 and guide the switch into suitable position within the cell. A plate 14 may be E carried by the switch and form the front wall or cover for the cell. The switch terminals 15 and 16 Care formed or provided with exposed terminal members 15 and 16". Said terminal members are adapted to en age fixed terminal members 17 and 182 wich fixed members may be carried respectively by d the top wall 19 and rear wall 20 of the enclosing cell and are adapted to be connected with leads of the circuit to be controlled by theswitch. i

The arrangement of the terminal members is or may be such that when the switch is moved into position within the cell, the switchterminalmembers are ada ted automatically to become connected wit the fixed terminal members 17 and 18 and when the switch is removed-from the cell, the switch terminal members are adapted automatically to be disconnected from said fixed terminal members whereby automaticallyy to disconnect the switch from its circuit.

The switch lock embodying the invention may include the locking vbar 22. Said locking bar is or may be vertically extended alon the side wall of the switch and the lower end of said locking bar may be vertically slidably received in a guide bracket 23, which bracket may be secured to the carriage 11 of the switch and arranged to guide said locking bar 22 for approximately vertical movement therein and support it against lateral displacement. The lower end of said-locking bar 22 is or may be provided with an outwardly reiiexed portion 24 which is adapted to lie outwardly beyond one of said vguide l rails 14. Said ide rail 14 is or Vmay be formed or .provided with an abutment as the block 25, which block may be secured to said guide rail i-n such a position that when the switch is in proper position within the i cell, and propr connected with the fixed 1y terminal mem rs 17 and 18, the reilexed end 24 f said locking bar' is ine positionne behind said abutment 25 and the relation of said locking bar and abutment is adapted to be such that'the switch can not be withdrawn when the locking bar is in its lowermost positionas illustrated in the figures. When said locking bar is raised into a position to clear said abutment 25, the switch may be also withdrawn from the cell. Said locking bar 22 is or may be rovided with an up er extension 22l whic extension is adap to be engaged by suitable means to raise said bar 22 and thereby release the lock on the switch.- Said bar 22 and the extension 22' may be i screw-threaded in the u per end of said bar 22 and said bolts may received in a vertically-extended slots 33 formed in said chan-- nel member and securedv adjustably to said channel member in any desired ad]usted relation in said slot. v

The raising means for said locking bar may include the bell crank lever y35, which lever ma be disposed on the upper part of the switch casing and pivotally supported in positiony by suitable means as the bolt 36. The lower arm 35 of said bell crank lever is ada ted to extend between the upper-end of thai) bar and the switch frame and the upper en of said locking bar is or may be provided with a reliexed end portion 37 which is adapted to. extend over and above said arm 35'* and in a position to he engaged by said arm. g

The upper arm- 35" of said bell crank lever. may have an o rating rod 38 pivoted thereto and said rod)e38 may extend forwardly of the switch and through the cover plate 14l and outwardly beyond the enclosing cell and in a position to be engaged by the hand or by some suitable operating device whereby tc4 rotate said bell crank lever. As thus` arranged, it is apparent that when said operof the switch when order to prevent the ating rod 38 is pulled outward, it serves to raise the locking bar and cause the lower end thereof to be withdrawn from an e wallof the casing le means as thev 1,7ea,ass

is withdrawn in closed condition and rating mechanism may incagzmg current.

e switch ope clude the electrically controlled 'closing opening mechanism 40, which mechanism ma be carried by the switch casing 'extern y of the cell. The switch mechanism may include an operating shaft 41, one end of which may extend through the side adjacent the upper end of said locking bar or, more specifically, the upper extension 22 thereof. Said 'shaft 1s adapted to be rotatedA in one direction, as counterclockwise, when the switch is opened and rotated in the op te direction when the switchisclosed. arm42isxedby lsuitable means to the extended end of said shaft 41 whereby to rotate with said shaft and said arm is or ma be disposed between the switch casing an the extension 22 of said l bar. The up r end of saidextension is or may be fo or rovided with an elongated slot 43 therein. suitable pin 44 is extended through and slidably1` received insaidslotandisormaybexedtothefree end of said arm 42.

- The arrangement and relation of the vari- 35 and the operating rod 88, .the lock on the switch mechanism main the bar in such depressed position the action ofthe bell-crank lever. en th'e switch is opened, said pin 44 of the arm 42 is moved into the upper portion of said slot 43 and said locking bar ma then be raised-by a suitable movement of the bell crank lever 85. The arrangement of the4 parts isalso such that if the switch is not in complete `engagement with the fixed contacts 17 and 18, lower end of said locking bar 22 may-be disposed above the abutment 25 and may there preventthe closingoftheswitch; and einabilityto close the switch willindicatetothe operative the fact thatthe switch ill-rmt in its proper position within the cell. The arrangement is also such that the operation oftheswitchmechanismtoclosetheswitch Dgagmg also operates automatically to move the vlockposition with the abutment 25 and thereb to permit the switch to be withdrawn from the cell. Y

In accordance with this invention, means are provided also to prevent the unlocking the switch is closed, in accidental formation of an arc at theixed circuit terminals 17 and 18 which might otherwise occur when the Thestructuxemayheotherwisemodied reesed and engagethe forward.

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I claim: 1. AA portable electric switch having lswitch-o erating mechanism and a track on which t e switchl is movable, cooperating means carried by said switch and track operable independently of the switch-operating mechanism to lock the switch to said track in a predetermined position on said track, and means governed b the a switch-operating mechanism arrange to govern the operation of said lockin means.

2. A porta le electric switcl having' switch-o rating mechanism and a track onA iig switch is movable, cooperatin locking means carried by said switch an track operable to lock the switch to said track in a predetermined position on said track irrespective of the position of said switchoperating mechanism, and means governed by the switch-operating mechanism arranged to hold said locking means in switch-locking condition'while the switch is in closed condition.

3. A portable electric switch having switch-operatin mechanism, a track on which the switc is freely sup orted and is movable, switch terminals, an fixed circuit terminals adapted to be en aged by said switch terminals, said switch eing movable on said track to a point remote from terminal engaging position, manual means operable independently of said switch operating mechanism when the switch isopen to lock the switch releasably to said track in terminalengaging position,-and means governed by said switch-operating mechanism having an interconnection with and arra ed to old said locking meansin switch-loc ing condition while the switch is in closed condition and to free said locking means for subsequent unlocking movement when the switch is open.

4. A portable electric switch including a casing havin switch-mechanism and supporting whee s, a track on which the swltch 1s movablyA sup orted, said track having an abutment, a loc ing bar approximately vertically extended along a s i e of the switch casing and supported for vertical movement into and also away from e aging position with said abutment, where y to lock the switch against or release it for movement on said track, and manually-controlled means to operate said locking bar.

A5. A portable electric switch including a casin having switch-mechanism and wheels on w ich the casing is movable, a track on which the switch is movable, said track having an abutment, a locking bar approximately vertically extended along a side of the switch casing and supported for vertical movement into and also away from engaging position with said abutment, whereby to c the switch against or release it for movement on said track and manually-controlledl means to o erate said locking bar including a--bellvsaid abutment, whereby to lock theswitch against or release it for movement on said track and manually-controlled means to operate said locking bar including a bell-crank lever pivoted to the upper portion of the switch casing and havin pivotal connection with the upper end of aid locking bar, an operatin rod pivotally connected with said bell-cran lever, and means to vary the effective length of said locking bar.

7. A ortable electric switch including a casing aving switch-mechanism and supportin wheels, a track on which the switch is movab y supported, said track having an abutment, a locking bar approximately. vertically extended along side of the switch casing and supported for vertical movement into and also away from engaginlg osition with said abutment, whereby to odi( the switch against or release it for movement on said track, manually-controlled means to operate said lockin bar and means governed by said switch mec anism arranged to control the operation of said locking bar.

8.. A ortable electric switch including a casing porting wheels, a track on which the switch 1s movably sup orted, said track having an abutment, a loc ing bar approximately vertically extended along side oi the switch casing and supported for vertical movement into and also away from engaging position with said abutment, whereby to lock the switch against or release it for movement on said track, manually-controlled means to operate said lockin bar and means (governed b said switch mec anism arrange to contro said locking bar, said controlling means includin a reciprocating member associated with sai switch mechanism and operatin in a slot in the upper end of said lockin ar, and constructed and arranged to ho d said locking bar in switch-locking position against manual release when the switch is closed and release said locking bar for manual control when the switch is open. f 9..A portable electric switch including a casing having a switch mechanism and wheels on which the casing is supported, a track on aving switch-mechanism and sup- III A 4 l 1,'rea,ess I whichl the. switch casing 'is movable, said v track having an abutment, a lookin bar a proximately vertically disposed ong si e of said switch casing and arranged for verti- 5 cal movement into and also away from enga 'n position with said abutment, whereby to oog said switch casing against or release it for movement on said tracks, said locking bar havin a lateral extension at its upper 1o end, a be -crank lever pivoted to the upper portion of the switch casing and having an arm disposed beneath and arranged to said lateral extension, whereby to raise said' locking bar and release the lock on the switch,

a manually-controlled o rating rod pivotally connected with said ll-crank lever arranged to actuate it, and a reciprocating arm associated with said switch-mechanism operable in aslot in said locking bar arranged 3 to move said locking bar into and hold it in switch closedposition while the switch is closed.

In testimony wlfereof, I have signed my name to this ication. CH STER D. AINSWORTH. 

